Wainwright's Way

A long distance walk through Alfred Wainwright's life and sketches from Blackburn to Buttermere.

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

@WayWainwright @AW_archivist @lancstelegraph @nickburton66

[BBC Lancashire @BBCLancashire]

It's 90 years since Alfred Wainwright left his #Blackburn home to travel to the #LakeDistrict for the first time.
He may be synonymous with the vast and stunning landscape, but a #Lancashire author has recreated the first steps of a remarkable journey from his birthplace ❤️ ⛰

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

90 years ago today Alfred Wainwright's first ever Lakeland adventure hit new heights - on Sunday 8th June 1930 he followed the Roman Road up the Troutbeck Valley and climbed High Street for the first time - ending up in a Pooley Bridge B&B for the night. https://t.co/VXOteV4GOB

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

@AW_archivist Look - there's Alf Wainwright, aged 23, on the Ribble bus heading for Windermere and that first encounter with Lakeland Fells. It happened 90 years ago today - 7th June 1930. Join Wainwright's Way FB page 11 am today as we recreate the first part of his journey.

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

@Gillylancs @Shigufta1 Morning! Here's Alfred Wainwright's first view of the Lake District. From Orrest Head. 90 years ago this weekend!

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

I will be on BBC Radio Lancs tomorrow morning about 8:20 am talking about Wainwright's first ever visit to the Lake District. This weekend is the 90th anniversary of when AW first got the bus to Windermere from milltown Blackburn.

https://t.co/2pmUpcA7yc

[John Gillmore @Gillylancs]

Join ⁦@Shigufta1⁩ and me from 6am on #caturday . It’s the 90th Anniversary since #alfredwainwright visited #thelakedistrict from #Blackburn we chat to ⁦@nickburton66⁩ . The latest travel plans with ⁦@HolsStrawberry⁩ The popular Punchline plus Some great songs

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

The 1910 OS map of Blackburn showing Alfred Wainwright's terraced house at 331 Audley Range. He walked from here to the town bus station on Saturday June 7th 1930 to begin his first ever holiday in the Lake District. From milltown life to Lakeland legend.

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

@richardgav Just posted some more info on the Ribble bus timetable on my WW facebook page

https://t.co/pZhRfCUjYe

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

@richardgav Add in the Blackburn-Preston return fare which was 1/6 in 1935! We know that when AW left B'burn in 1941 he was on a salary of £350 a year. He was still completing his accountancy qualifications in 1930 so it would have been considerably less than this.

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

@richardgav here's another map and the fares from the 1935-6 autumn/winter Ribble timetable. Looks like a return from Preston to Windermere would have cost 6 shillings 9 pence!

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

@richardgav no problem. I will post some of the pages later tonight. It's a great source of info. In the meantime here's the page showing Ribble's services 1935-6 - including from Manchester and Liverpool to Scotland.

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

If you go to flea markets and second hand book stalls, why not look out for old Ribble Bus timetable booklets. I picked up one from 1936 so fairly contemporary to the one AW would have used when he first went up to Windermere from Blackburn in June 1930. @AW_archivist

[Wainwright's Way @WayWainwright]

To celebrate the forthcoming 90th anniversary of Wainwright's first visit to the Lakes - we have arrived on twitter! On Sunday 7th June we will be remembering the day in 1930 that AW got the bus from Blackburn to Windermere and climbed Orrest Head. The rest is history.